Buying a pair of yoga workout clothes or another piece of fashionable activewear for your daughter or girlfriend? Then make sure you don’t pick something that’s destined to collect dust at the bottom of the sock drawer. Last year activewear sales in the United States surged 9% to $33 billion, and clothing companies have been pumping out more cheap options to keep up with demand.
So how do you pick out the perfect piece of sports clothes for women?
Activewear Isn’t Just For The Gym
Nearly 85% of consumers said they wear their athletic apparel around the house, while 42% of consumers said they wore their gym clothes to go shopping as well. The days of throwing on an old t-shirt for a quick run around the block are gone. Now, many women are looking for activewear that can work overtime, just like them.
In fact, only 7% of consumers say they only wear athletic apparel for exercise, a number on a downward trend. That means consumers want fashionable activewear they won’t be embarrassed to wear after they hit the yoga studio. There’s even a word for this new fashion trend — athleisure clothing.
Style And Function, Not Style OVER Function
Nine in ten consumers say they have purchased cotton exercise clothes, mostly because they expected a superior fit and comfort. However, 71% of those respondents said they would be willing to pay extra for clothing that fits their body just right, and 69% would pay more for activewear that keeps them dry (and limits odor).
Clothing That Saves Time
The modern woman might be able to “have it all”, but more and more women are also expected to do it all — school, work, housework, and everything else in between. So people who want to squeeze in some “me time” at the yoga studio don’t have much time to spare changing outfits.
Those super-tight yoga pants might not be entirely office appropriate, but any articles of activewear that can do double duty have a better chance of making it out of the closet. Continue reading here.